Vol. 117 No. 42 October 15 - October 21, 2006 THE BACK MOUNTAIN'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1889 50¢ SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF THE DALLAS AND LAKE-LEHMAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR THE DALLAS POST/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK Back Mountain resident John Leonard is a regular customer at Outrageous coffee house. He says a new Starbucks being built in Shavertown won't change his loyalty. The senior class float was voted the best float of the Homecoming parade. Chealsea Sprau, last year's Home- coming queen at Lake-Lehman, crowns Samantha Jo Hudak during a ceremony before the start of the football game against GAR. Watch- ing are her parents, John and Donna Hudak of Lehman Township. Coffee drinkers vow their loyalty .By DAVE KONOPKI Dallas Post Editor i: AIOE Ro 5 PHOTOS FOR THE DALLAS POST/CHARLOTTE BARTIZEK Hudak, Butler crowned SHAVERTOWN - They might not rolling out the red carpet at the grand opening, but coffee-drinking folks — and servers —in the Back Mountain don’t seem to be intimidated by the recent announcement of the opening of a Starbucks on Route 309. The Seattle- based chain is expected to build a store next to McDo- amantha Jo Hudak was crowned Homecoming Queen and Kevin Butler was chosen Homecoming King as Lake-Lehman High School held its annual Homecom- ing activities last week. The daughter of John and Donna Hu- ak of Lehman Township received her crown before the start of the football game against GAR. Butler was crowned before the start of the Homecoming dance the following night. Joining Hudak and Butler on the Homecoming Court were Kallista Morgan, Victoria Posatko, Jaime Lipski, Joscelyn Mahon, Elyse Benoit, Jared Kopetchne, Kevin Racemus, Curt Jones, Michael Dougherty and Derek Shurmanek. The Homecoming dance was held in the school’s former gymnasium. The dance’s theme — as well as the theme of the Homecoming — was “Pirates of the Night.” The school held special spirit week activities throughout Homecoming week; including Black and Gold Day, Western Day, Hat Day and Celebrity Day. A pep rally was also held and the mem- bers of all fall sports teams were announced. The Homecoming activities were under the direction of guidance counselor and head cheerleading coach Dawn Te- honica. events. A large crowd at Edward Edwards Stadium watched the Homecoming SSibobss — . a] An artists rendering of the $5 million Idea Center, part of the $15 million ‘Lending From The Heart’ campaign at College Misericordia. $15 million campaign taking CM into the next century College Misericordia recently announced the yiblic portion of its $15 million “Leading from Heart” campaign during the school’s annual Trustee Associates Dinner. The campaign will allow Misericordia to meet the challenges of unprecedented growth in enrollment, programs and student activities by increasing academic space on campus with the construction of the two-story, $5 million Idea Center, and strengthening the endowment and annual funds. “The ‘Leading from the Heart’ campaign will drive Misericordia squarely into the next centu- ry,” said Michael A. MacDowell, president of College Misericordia. “When successfully com- pleted, the campaign will underwrite an excit- ing new facility, renovate a venerable old one and provide scholarship support for financially- deserving students. “The campaign will accomplish an additional goal, as well. It will demonstrate to all associ- ated with Misericordia that alumni, friends, fac- ulty and staff care deeply about Misericordia and the pivotal role it plays for those fortunate enough to enroll here. It will also set the stage for Misericordia University.” The new state-of-the-art Idea Center will be a wireless, technologically smart learning envi- ronment where innovation and imagination nverge. The 28,500-square-foot Idea Center ill include the Assistive Technology Research Institute, the speech-language pathology de- partment, additional classrooms and a confer- ence center. It will also house a center for the performing and visual arts, and will lead to a renovated Walsh Auditorium. Construction is expected to begin in the spring. “College Misericordia has been experiencing unprecedented growth and expanding influen- ce for six years,” said Paul “Chip” Siegel, chair- man of the Board of Trustees. “Traditional stu- dent enrollment has grown by one third and adult education has experienced a 50 percent increase during that same time.” The state will be awarding a $2.5 million grant to the college, according to state Sen. Charles Lemmond, because it combines the de- velopment of advancing technology and service to the greater community through these two es- tablished programs. “Senator Charles Lemmond and Senator Robert Mellow worked closely together to se- cure this support,” MacDowell said. “It is re- warding when two long-serving and distin- guished members of the Pennsylvania Senate cooperate so closely in helping to make this community-focused project a reality.” Despite all of the changes, the college has not lost sight of its founders and sponsors, the Reli- gious Sisters of Mercy who founded the institu- tion in 1924. Misericordia remains deeply root- ed to its core values of mercy, service, justice and hospitality. The college’s liberal arts curri- culum stresses academic excellence, integrity, service, lifelong learning and respect for others. “Everything the college does has its basis in moral and ethical values, and that’s huge,” said Susan Fort Sordoni, a 1968 alumnus of Miser- icordia and chairwoman of the campaign. “Col- lege Misericordia secures the foundation for a successful life — not just a successful career.” Overall, “Leading from the Heart” is geared toward positioning the institution, its students, faculty and staff for the 21st century and be- yond. The campaign hopes to foster long-term financial health and enable the institution to provide responsible gifts to its students in the form of financial aid and scholarships. By strengthening the endowment, the col- lege will ensure that future generations of stu- dents will benefit from scholarships. Misericor- dia has been helping first-generation college students since its inception. The annual fund allows the college to meet its most crucial needs, including financial aid for students, enriching the curriculum and attract- ing top-rate faculty and staff. Misericordia is ranked among the top colleges and universities of its size in the northeastern United States for alumni giving. The Trustee Associates Dinner is an annual event recognizing the donors who support the college and its mission. The dinner publicly kicked off the campaign, which has already raised $7.6 million since the silent phase was launched in July 2004. Also at the dinner, Deborah and Jack Burke were honored with the annual Trustee Associ- ates Award for their support of the college, and Marlene and Sandy Insalaco received the presti- gious Founders Medal for lifetime giving in sup- port of College Misericordia. nald’s restaurant near Franklin Street. Several people interviewed at diners and coffee shops near the planned Starbuck's site believe loyalty and price will play a large role in the decision where to purchase a cup of coffee. “We are looking forward to it,” said Brigette Baker, who works at Outrageous coffee house in Shaver- town, which sells locally-brewed gourmet coffee. “Anything that will encourage the coffee culture in the area, we welcome. You have to make the best of the situation. I think eventually, (coffee drinkers) will find our coffee to be better. Many people find Star- buck’s coffee to be very acidic and they will be more expensive.” Baker says business at the coffee house has almost doubled since it opened a little more than one year ago. She doesn’t think the opening of Starbucks will lure away her store’s loyal customers. John Leonard wholeheartedly agrees. “Not only will the price be more reasonable here, but this is a more personal place,” said Leonard, a reg- ular at Outrageous. “It’s like Cheers, everybody knows your name. You might meet someone new at a Starbucks, but the people at the counter won’t know you. It’s nice that the area is improving, but I'm very faithful guy.” Familiarity and faithfulness are also traits of cus- tomers at Libby’s Diner, located a few hundred yards away from the Starbucks property, the site of a former BP gas station. “I've been coming here for 40 years, so I'm not go- ing to go there,” said a Trucksville resident who only identified himself as Mr. Evans. “I don’t like (Star- bucks) coffee. I can’t tell you what it is, but I just don’t like the taste of it. Besides, it will be too expensive.” Libby’s Diner owner Jeanne Thomas doesn’t think Luzerne County’s fourth Starbucks store will have an effect on her business, which only serves breakfast and lunch and closes at 2 p.m. “They serve a whole different type of person. (And) you could probably drink two pots of coffee here for the price they will charge,” Thomas said with a laugh. Curry Donut, located approximately one mile from McDonald's, is another coffee-serving establishment that will be located a short distance from Starbucks. “Hopefully they won’t hurt us,” said Shavertown resident Mary Pattison, an employee at Curry Donut. “I think people appreciate our brand of coffee and the donuts we serve. Our place really starts hopping around 2 (p.m.) when men come in to talk to their friends after work. They fill up the two rooms we have.” Founded in 1971, Starbucks has 12,000 locations in more than 30 countries and employs more than 117,000 people. Starbucks has begun advertising on the Internet for a full-time manager for the Dallas lo- cation. ¥ Inside The Dallas Post 8 Pages, 1 Section CIVIC NEWS i. iii iorssniititsstiiinisediumentoenresnsiostiessss 3 CHUCH NEWS... isaiisiia bi sistiisinions 6 OBIUAHES.... fii ini hie isisi anita 6 PUZZ. BS... iecsireousnsrsuciopconsirersvssssistsssetumssssovasss 2 CDOTS couiiiiuiecssiiisimanisosissivansiadbisidvasninniis 7-8 ¥ How To Reach Us News: 829-7248 thepost@leader.net 15 N. Main St. Wilkes-Barre, Pa. 1871 Advertising: 829-7101 Subscriptions and Delivery: 829-5000
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers